I recently realized that nearly every single client I currently work with uses “freelance” workers to fulfill some aspect of a job or department that used to have full time employees.You may be tempted to say, "Well, that’s obvious" when you consider that while I am a "consultant" to my clients. I am, in fact, their “freelance” employee. The point that I can't entirely quantify is that it appears that the ratio between full time and freelance employees at consumer oriented magazine media companies between now and say a decade ago feels significantly greater. Not only do many of my publishers wear many hats, but they also have freelance:marketing staffadvertising representativesproduction teamseditorsstaff writerscirculation/audience development departmentse-commerce departmentsIn the lead article below, Entrepreneur Magazine takes up the call that not only is the demand for “gig” workers going to grow, but the demand puts “gig” workers in the “driver’s seat.”Does it? What gratifies me about this essentially op-ed piece is that the author points out that, yes, there is a certain freedom in being a freelancer. But you are also at the mercy of multiple “bosses”. You may have little control over not only over the value of your work, but you may have little control over your actual work product.And the difficulties you encounter along the way are often hard to talk about. How many NDAs have you signed off on? Well, here's my answer: I can't tell you. Why? I signed an NDA. (Hint: It's close to "a bunch.")On the other hand, I have found that the benefits of being a freelancer can be enormous. When my children were younger, I often traveled as much as three weeks a month, Monday through Thursday. But during the days and weeks that I was not traveling, I was home for them and took them to school. I was there to pick them up and take them to their after school activities. Depending on your business, you may have all of your weekends off. You may be able to take the time to learn new skills.There is a lot to be said about the feeling you get when you deposit your payments into a business account. Yes, in the States, there is that whole double taxation issue. And then the fact that the only person putting money into your 401k is you. And, of course, the whole issue of health insurance. On the other hand, your vacation schedule is not dictated by how many “days” you’ve earned, but by your own business (and busyness). You may have a time chart, but it's your time chart. You may have a kanban board. If you do, it's yours. No one else can add to it.Over the years I’ve worked hard to try and make all of my clients feel like I was a part of their team and that I had their backs and best interests at heart. In the shallow, rocky seas of the circulation world that is often hard to do because our industry practices look convoluted and stacked against the publisher, who is essentially the supplier.As a freelancer, you may be the last to learn what your client’s strategy is. You may get moved around to multiple departments. In one case, I was transferred to five different divisions within a corporation over the course of the two and a half years I was under contract. The company had five divisions. The reverse is also true and I have had many clients use me to my fullest in helping them develop plans to grow their companies and help them build up their circulation and marketing. It’s a double edged sword that depends on the nature of the company and the personalities that you are interacting with. This year has brought fresh calls for employers to treat with their employees more fairly. To make pay more equitable. In the media world we’re seeing newsrooms and production facilities unionize. This may be a positive and long overdue development.New York and California have been releasing new laws regarding the treatment and employment of freelance employees. This is a fine line to walk along because the word "free" to many freelancers means they want to be free to work as they see fit with as little interference as possible. But the laws are being considered because some employers think the "free" in freelancer means that they should work for free, or nearly free*. My hope is that as the pool of freelance employees grows, we will see, for a change, the expansion of legislation and "Best Practices" that insures that freelancers are treated fairly, equitably, and with the respect due their professionalism. I mean, a person can dream, right?